


Whatever You Need

by knittyknicker



Category: Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (2012), Thor (2011)
Genre: Brainwashing, Implied Torture, M/M, Prostitution, Self Esteem Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-05-27
Updated: 2012-06-01
Packaged: 2017-11-06 02:16:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 17,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/413603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/knittyknicker/pseuds/knittyknicker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a villain isn't a villain anymore, who do the heroes fight?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, dipping toes in the pool. First timer here, so concrit is totally encouraged and appreciated. Also, a Beta might not go amiss if anyone wants to take a stab. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy!

The rumors start six months after Loki’s defeat. Somewhere in the city a new male escort is making quite the splash with the Manhattan's upper crust. Tony has caught glimpses of the man at various functions, but never come face to face. All he can say for sure is that the man is tall, slender and dark haired. Other than that, who knows. Three weeks later, Tony is called to Fury’s office at the ungodly hour of too-fucking-early-o’clock about something that he is honestly still too hungover to give a shit about. The last words that fall out of Fury’s mouth do catch his attention and Tony tunes back in.

“... at S.H.I.E.L.D. expense of course.”

“Right, go back and repeat what you just said now that I know it isn’t coming out of my own pocket.” 

Fury braces his elbows on the edge of the desk and smiles. Tony isn’t quite sure that the smile has anything to do with how the director really feels and wonders briefly if Fury’s baring of teeth is anything like the last thing seals see before the shark swallows them down. 

“Mr. Stark, I’d like you to engage an escort’s services for the evening. We’ve received intel that a possible threat has been operating as an escort lately and we thought that you would be the least likely person to raise eyebrows if you purchased that type of service.”

Tony nods at Fury’s assertion and crosses an ankle over the opposite knee, gesturing for Fury to elaborate. “All we need you to do is hire the man, take him to one of your residences that is wired for surveillance and allow us to gather the necessary information as to who it is and what they are attempting to gain. What you do after that is, of course, at your discretion. Interested?” Tony isn’t sure that the bouncy seal clap is an appropriate reaction to the order to purchase what will undoubtedly be an expensive evening with an attractive man on someone else’s tab choosing instead to signal his agreement with a hum and a nod. 

“Good, glad you chose to cooperate. Now get the hell out of my office and for god’s sake shower. You smell like the floor of a bar.” Tony stands and leaves the office heading for his car, his house and his shower. The overwhelming impression left by that meeting with the joyless bastard that is now nominally his boss? The feeling that Fury may actually like him. A little. Possibly. 

~~~

Pepper makes the appointment with “Luke”, face scrunched in disapproval even after Tony assured her that the whole thing was happening at the insistence of S.H.I.E.L.D. Even knowing that Tony is a better person than most give him credit for, Pepper can’t help but feel that Tony is making a mistake. Because she is a good friend and an even better employee, she limits the expression of her disapproval to a look and a few huffs of breath. “You have the entire night, and your apartment on 82nd is being aired and prepped as we speak. Coulson called earlier to remind you that the armor is going to be available to you if an emergency arises, but will not be in the immediate vicinity of your ‘date’. Anything else?” Not really waiting for a response, Pepper spun on one heel and taps her way out of the room. 

Gah. Even when he played by the rules he still managed to get in trouble. All he needed now to make the day complete was the censure of.. “Tony,” Fuck. Speak of the devil yadda yadda. “Do you really think that this is the best use of your talent? Volunteering as bait in a sting that any S.H.I.E.L.D. agent could handle?” 

“What can I say Cap, I’m just that popular.” Tony grins at his own reflection as he finishes the knot in his tie. 

“I still think..”

“Oh for fu--. Let it go. No one is forcing me into anything I don’t want to do. It isn’t going to hurt me and I’ll have earned a few brownie points for cooperation. Relax.”

“But..” 

“No, seriously, I’m done discussing it. Now, I’ve gotta go or I’m gonna be late, and we all know how much you hate that.” Tony gathers up the last of his things, tucking his wallet into his jacket and clasping his wristwatch firmly in place as he walks from his room, leaving a stymied Steve Rogers standing in his wake. 

~~~

The man Tony hired is everything he appeared to be at the parties. Tall, slender almost to the point of waifish, and hair so black it was either the result of amazing genes or an amazing stylist. As Luke slipped into the darkened back seat next to Tony, something began to buzz at the edge of Tony’s consciousness. He couldn’t immediately identify it but there was something he was missing. Something important. They remain silent for the ride across town, Tony trying to figure out what he’s feeling and Luke watching the traffic pass by. 

They reach the apartment quickly and Tony reaches out to LUke, pulling him across the seat as they slide out of the car and head for the doorman. The elevator ride up is quiet, Tony studying Luke in the reflection of the elevator’s doors and Luke watching Tony just as closely. 

When they reach the apartment, Luke seems to relax, shoulders dropping, face softening and hips rolling as they move through the foyer and into the living room. The voice that pours out of Luke’s throat is not what Tony expects but is a pleasant surprise none the less. “Now that we’re here, what would you like me to do for you? Or is it a question of what you’d like to do to me?” The rasp of velvet and the hint of accent throws Tony for a minute and he shivers pleasantly at the warm gust against the side of his neck. Lips press gently before gentle teeth drag over skin. bringing up a wave of goosebumps. Thin long fingered hands wrap around Tony’s ribcage from behind and skate down toward his belt, playing between the buttons of his shirt as they descend. 

“Uhrm,” Tony clears the squeak from his voice and tries again. “Um, How about a drink and some conversation? We do have the whole night, after all.” 

“Hm, yes, we do at that.” 

“So. What’s your poison?” Tony crosses to the bar and pulls two glasses down as Like sits down on one of the couches. “Scotch?”

“That will do.” 

Tony pours the liquor before adding a few ice cubes to his own. When he gestures to the ice, Luke smirks but signals no. Crossing the room, Tony sinks into the plush couch and hands a glass over before taking a small sip of his own drink. 

They talk about nothing and everything and Tony is pleasantly surprised that Luke is far more than just a pretty face. He knows something about higher level physics and even seems to understand when Tony’s conversational train wanders into engineering. Before long their drinks are finished and Luke has crossed the empty cushion, pressing his side snugly against Tony. 

“Now, I believe we’ve filled the conversational obligation. Should we turn to more pleasurable activities?” As he speaks, Luke wraps a hand over Tony’s thigh, sliding his hand up to the junction of Tony’s legs and pressing against the hardening flesh. 

Tony’s brain slows as blood flows south and he can feel himself harden so quickly that it’s nearly painful. Luke’s fingers glide up,dragging over Tony’s cock before pulling the belt buckle loose and popping the button free. Once his pants have been loosened, cool fingers glide under layers of fabric to wrap snugly around Tony’s shaft. 

Tony grunts, feeling fuzzy and slow and, really, if it weren’t for the fact that the alcohol came from his own stash and he poured it himself, he’d wonder if he hadn’t been drugged and hey, really, shouldn't he be more worried about that? Luke's hand squeezes again and Tony decides that no, he really shouldn’t, though they should move to the bedroom before he manages to ruin another pair of really nice pants. 

Sucking in a harsh gasp of air and trying desperately to re-marshall some seriously wandering wits, Tony manages to get out a request that they reconvene in the bedroom though it sounded more like “hrmgahbedroomuhhuh.”

If this is what this kid is capable of with just his hand, Tony seriously contemplates the damage he could do with his mouth and doesn’t even try to imagine just how devastating fucking him would be. 

They make it to the bedroom without damaging anything though Tony couldn’t remember how they managed and Tony becomes aware of the fact that he has somehow lost his jacket, all the buttons on his shirt, both shoes,and oddly enough, a sock. Luke is likewise disarrayed though Tony feels that he manages to pull off disheveled pretty fucking well. Pulling away, Tony shucked the remains of his clothing and waited for Luke to do the same. 

Once Tony has his attention turned to Luke, the action ratchets up again as Luke turns disrobing into a show, slowly revealing more and more of his body to the very appreciative audience that is Tony Stark. First the shirt goes revealing a chest that is flat and smooth, topped with pretty pink nipples that just beg to be bitten and sucked. The pants slide down over slender hips and thighs leaving only a pair of brief, oh so very brief, underwear that support a delectable bulge. The underwear stay on as Luke slinks onto the mattress and Tony can’t help but appreciate that he gets to unwrap the final bit of Luke himself. 

Tony lays spread over the mattress and Luke shifts his legs so he can kneel between them. Once more his hand travels over Tony’s thigh, though this time he skips Tony’s cock all together dragging the pads of his fingers up over his ribs and resting on either side of the arc reactor. Luke leans up to suck and bite at Tony’s neck before kissing his way back down his body, paying attention to places like the curve of a shoulder and the dip below his rib cage. Tony’s breath speeds up as Luke gets closer and closer to his cock before freezing all together when he feels the wet heat of lips close around the head. Tony lifts his head to watch and locks eyes with Luke just as he hollows his cheeks and sucks while sliding more of the shaft into his mouth. 

Tony’s head flops back to the pillow at the sensation and his eyes clamp shut as he lets go and falls into the sensation of squeeze and slide and the delicious heat creeping into his belly. Luke’s hands continue to glide over his stomach and thighs, stretching up to play along Tony’s ribs and wandering down to scratch along the line of his inner thigh. As Tony falls further into the sensations, he can feel the tightening of his balls and a tingling pressure at the base of his spine. A single finger glides along the line of his perineum, pressing gently before prodding at his hole, not entering but providing just enough stimulation to push him over the edge and into orgasm. As his muscles lock up and his brain starts to fire randomly, Tony finally figures out what bothered him about Luke, but the lassitude of orgasm drags him down and he knows no more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm handwaving the whole Coulson dying thing. It's been six months, he's recovered from his injury because we all know that he's far too badass to die from a little stab wound. Right? Right.

When he wakes up again, he’s alone in the bed. Sitting up, he notices that all of Luk-- Loki’s clothes are gone. Rolling to the edge of the bed, he drags on his pants before leaving the bedroom. The living room is full of pissed of SHIELD members. Hill stands in the corner of the room shooting dark looks at anyone who approaches. Coulson’s lips twitch down at the corner which basically means that, were it anyone else, they’d be throwing a screaming tantrum. Even Fury is there, barking orders into his phone and looking more infuriated than Tony has ever seen him. Even knowing what he knows, Tony isn’t quite sure just what inspired the epic level of pissed-offedness clogging up the room. 

“Stark,” Fury barks “You got any explanation as to why a room of state of the art monitoring equipment managed to record three hours of Adventure Time instead of what happened in this apartment?” 

“That? Well I’d guess it has something to do with the fact that Luke is actually Loki.” The noise in the room stops abruptly and Fury asks in a deceptively mild tone for a bit more clarification. 

“For whatever reason, Loki is acting as an escort, and a damn fine one at that. He didn’t try to get any information out of me and I’m fairly certain he knew who I was the entire time even if I was a bit slower in the uptake.” 

“How did you not recognize him Stark? For fuck sake, he’s your nemesis...” 

Tony cuts him off at that statement, mainly because the word ‘nemesis’ seems a little melodramatic all things considered. “Hey, he did the job he promised to do and didn’t hurt me while doing it. I’d say nemesis is a bit strong under the circumstances.”

“Fine, but this isn’t the end. We need to figure out why he’s here and what he wants.”

~~~

Tony booked another night with Loki. The first had been well worth what he paid (or what Loki had taken from his wallet. Picky, picky) so he didn’t have any problem doing it again. This time however, SHIELD planned to take Loki into custody, setting up magic dampening fields all the way around the block, though they wouldn’t be activated until Loki was inside the containment area. The Avengers would also be stationed around the building, ready to step in if needed. All in all, Tony was pretty sure something was going to go spectacularly wrong. 

~~~

The night of Tony and Loki’s second “get-together” arrived and Tony once more picked Loki up although he was careful not to use the wrong name. Now that he knew who he was dealing with, he could see Loki’s true face under the softer, less striking facade of Luke’s face. As the car cruised down the block, Tony caught a glimpse of Steve tucked behind the edge of a building and knew that searching for Clint and Natasha would likely be an exercise in futility. He knew they were there and that was the point. SHIELD had it people fanned out around the building and likely had a few installed inside as well, all of which was supposed to ensure Loki’s capture with as little collateral damage as possible. Tony wasn’t totally sold on the idea and had upgraded the AI in the apartment so that the system offered more protection and a greater chance at accessing his own armor if needed, though Tony was very aware of the fact that, should things go wrong, he was likely to end up very, very hurt. 

Gathering his thoughts and slipping back into his present situation took only a fraction of a second and coincided with their arrival. As they stepped out of the car and crossed the threshold of the building, Tony could swear he felt the wards being raised, though he shrugged that off as fanciful thinking. Once more Tony and Loki ended up curled against each other as they sipped their drinks and chatted about what had been keeping them occupied. Tony was once again surprised at just how pleasant he found Loki and wondered what had happened in the time since his arrest and return to Asgard that merited such a change. Smirking internally, he wondered if the methods used to subdue Loki could be adapted for use on Earth. “You seem quiet this evening Luke, lots on your mind?”

“The usual I suppose.” As he spoke, Loki sat upright and slid his tumbler onto the table in front of him. Standing he continued, “I have to wonder though if you plan to make use of me before the SHIELD agents cluttering up the hall decide that they’ve waited long enough and come in to remove me.” 

Tony felt his pulse jump as the words registered and he began to edge away from Loki, trying to reach the suitcase armor he had tucked beneath the end table. 

“Oh, Stark, I do assure you that isn’t necessary. I have no desire to flee or harm anyone in this vicinity. I know exactly what my place is now.” As soon as he had finished speaking, he turned to face the front door and raised his hands in the universal gesture for surrender. Tony was left to ponder exactly what Loki meant as SHIELD agents forced the door open and swept Loki to the floor. 

The agents were just as surprised by Loki’s docility and seemed to be bracing for some type of trick. Picking the bound god up off of the carpet, SHIELD agents began to lead Loki from the room. Fury stopped them and turned to examine Loki. 

“I don’t know what you have planned, but after last time, I can’t imagine you’re really as harmless as you appear. We’re going to remand you into SHIELD custody until someone in Asgard can be reached. If, and I assure you, only if, they vouch for you, you will be allowed to return to your dwelling. If at any point, I find that you have deceived us, I’ll convince the Hulk to crush you like an empty soda can. Clear?” Loki only nodded at Fury’s words before being led from the room. 

“Something stinks here.” 

“Could be that cologne you insist on bathing in. Moderation in all things, remember?”

“Totally not what I meant and wow, sir, you’re kind of a dick. Empty soda can, really?” Waving his hands Tony brought the conversation back to the point he had been making before. “Anyway, back on track, did you see his reaction? He knew you were coming in before you even touched the door, and he did nothing to evade. Plus, he said something about knowing his place. I don’t really get it, something seems off.” 

Fury didn’t seem overly concerned, offering a shrug before turning to leave. As he reached to door frame, he paused. “Tell you what, if you’re that concerned, come down and sit in on the interrogation. Behind the glass of course, but at least you’ll get more out of it that the transcripts offer.” 

As Fury swept through the door, Tony was left standing in an empty apartment, wondering what the hell had just happened and why the lack of conflict left him feeling so uncomfortable.  
~~~

Midnight finds the Avengers minus Thor sitting around a conference table in the lower level of the SHIELD building. Natasha and Clint were busy cleaning their weapons, while Bruce fiddled with calculations on his tablet. Steve stood in front of the glass window watching Loki with his arms crossed and his brows furrowed in thought. Tony also seemed preoccupied, though his mind was worrying over Loki’s claim like a terrier with a crew bone. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out what Loki meant by knowing his place. Especially when one considered the fact that up until a few months ago, that place had been as high ruler kinglyness or something along those lines. Finally, Natasha broke the silence. 

“Why are we here again? He didn’t fight, we didn’t fight, there isn’t any paperwork that has to be done and it’s late. Really, if it’s all the same, I’d just as soon be in bed.” 

Tony gave his best leer before snarking “Really Tash, getting old there.”

“Pffft. I said bed, but I said nothing about sleeping. Really Tony, I’d think that you of all people would make the distinction.” 

“Point.” 

Steve cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention. “If you’d rather go back to the tower, you can. I figured we might need a debrief, but since we don’t there isn’t any reason you have to stay.” 

With that announcement, the others quickly stow their belongings before filing out of the room, leaving Tony and Steve alone. 

“Were you going to go?” 

“No, I figured I’d wait and take the car with you after they’re done with Loki.”

Tony nods at that before asking “Any word from Thor? He said he’d try to be back quickly, but we haven’t seen him in nearly a month. Maybe Fury can get him in to vouch for Loki.”

“Tony, why are you so sure that Loki isn’t up to anything? He is the god of lies after all. It isn’t exactly a stretch of the imagination to think that he has some sort of endgame.”

“I can’t explain it really. I just know that something about his behavior lately has been wrong. I can feel it in my gut.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had this story all nice and planned out in my head, but no one is cooperating. Writing on the fly, not for the faint of heart.

When Fury opened the interrogation room door and stepped inside both Steve and Tony turned to watch his progress. Loki seemed unconcerned, still slumped in his chair with an absent look on his face. The slap of a file folder onto the tabletop was loud in the quiet room and echoed across the microphone to where Steve and Tony sat, both waiting for an explanation.

"Well Loki, you've raised quite a few flags lately. Any chance you'll just tell us what you have planned?"

"Any chance you'll believe me even if I do?"

Tony had to admit that he was relieved to hear a bit of the old Loki even under the weird veneer of docility. 

"Hope springs," Fury said dryly. "Why are you back? I could have sworn that you earned more than a couple months punishment for the crap you pulled last time you were here."

"You aren't wrong. You simply failed to consider that I may have been away longer than you thought."

"Explain."

"How do you punish a god? Life sentences mean little when you're immortal. Generally, correction is offered and the length of time we spend being corrected is dependent on the crimes we commit. Mine was severe enough to warrant several years."

"What do you mean by corrected? I'm guessing you aren't talking about work study."

"Oh no. I'm talking about physical chastisement."

"Like what?"

"Beatings, mainly. Sometimes they incorporate implements. While it was happening they enumerated my many, many failures."

"Your people condone the use of torture for the punishment of crimes then?"

"No, my people, as you so charmingly put it, prefer death or exile, assuming that they are the wronged party. No Asgardian was the injured party this time so my punishment fell to others."

"We turned you over to Asgard with the understanding that they would see you punished."

"Correct."

"So why didn't your punishment fall to us, as the injured party?"

"You lack the power to contain me, and aside from that, you were not, in fact, the injured party this time."

“But you attacked us.”

“Again, your grasp of the obvious astounds and amazes.”

“They didn’t even ask about whether or not we sought redress.”

“It wasn’t yours to seek.”

"Well then who the hell is considered the injured party?"

Tony could see Fury's mounting frustration with the circular conversation. Even Steve seemed confused. Tony however knew that the sickening churn of his stomach was only loosely related to the fact that he hadn't eaten or slept in more than 24 hours. The sensation only intensified as Loki opened his mouth to answer.

"Who experienced the greatest loss of life? Who was the other party of a broken bargain?" A quiet gasp to Tony's side indicated that Steve had finally put the pieces together. 

Loki raised his head to look Fury in the eye. "The wronged party, as far as Asgardian justice was concerned, were the Chitauri. “  
~~~

For once, Tony takes very little pleasure in being right. He’d known as soon as Loki admitted that he had not been punished by the Asgard that something bad had happened, but even then, he had still hoped that the Asgardians weren’t the type to throw one of their own to the sharks. Tony snorted out loud at that though. Steve beside him turned to face Tony and he was surprised by just how upset Steve looked at Loki’s revelations. 

“Tony, could he be serious? Did we really send Loki off to be tortured?” 

“What did you expect to happen Cap? They aren’t us, they don’t have the same rules.”

“But torture. That isn’t OK.” Goddamnit, sometimes Steve was so earnest that Tony had to wonder how he was even real. “What do we do now? I can’t believe that sending him back would be the right thing to do but Loki has a point. We really don’t have the ability to hold him.”

“He hasn’t exactly been posing much of a threat lately. I’m guessing SHIELD will hold him as long as they can and then it’ll be up to the Avengers to police his activities. Can’t do much more than that, unfortunately.”

As Tony started to stand, the door between the observation room and the interrogation room swung open, impacting noisily with the wall behind it. “Those fucking Asgardians. I don’t like Loki. I’ll never like Loki, but damned if I don’t feel sorry for the messed up little bastard. Apparently part of the punishment is some kind of time dilation bullshit so he’s actually spent the better part of the last decade getting the crap kicked out of him while they reconditioned his 'reflection of his self worth'. His words Stark, let it go. At this point, I’m pretty sure he’s harmless. He really seems to believe that all of his magic was stripped from him during his “correction” and I’m not seeing too much to dispute it.” 

“Tony, I’d like you to go in and see what you can get out of him.” 

“What? Why me? May I remind you that this is the same person who defenestrated me the last time we had any kind of solo conversation?”

“Well, lucky you, we’re underground so windows won’t be an issue this time.” 

“Ha freaking ha.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To those still reading, thank you so much. Fair warning (though maybe not a bad one? ) I may add pairings since the boys seem to be heading that way. Like keeping kittens out from under the couch, I tell you. :/

“So, Loki, how long have you been a hooker?” His brain is shrieking at him that his may not be the smartest thing he’s ever done, but damned if he is going to act any differently. 

“A few months. It is work that I’m eminently suited to, it pays well and it ensures that, for once, I get to decide how I’m getting fucked over.”

“True enough.” Tony drummed his fingers on the tabletop as he pondered the direction of his next question. 

“Stark, just spit out whatever inane question is rattling around that head of yours so I can go home. I have errands to run and my plants likely need watering at this point.”

Tony gawped, just a bit, at the thought of Loki doing things like watering plants and running errands, losing the thread for a few moments as he envisioned Loki waiting in line at the grocery store, a basket of bread and lunch meat and cereal over the crook of his elbow. The thought was too much and he burst into delighted chuckles, startling Loki enough to meet his eyes for the first time since Tony had handed him his glass earlier in the evening. 

“Better. I was starting to wonder about you.” 

“Hmm. I assure you, the correction was as thorough as it should have been and I only want to return to the quiet life I’ve carved out for myself.”

“Ah, Loki, only you could style yourself as a high class escort catering to the cream of society and refer to it as a ‘quiet life’.”

~~~

Tony’s discussion hit all the same points as Fury’s. Loki really seemed like the correction had been effective, but the details totally made Tony rethink his earlier question as to the chances of adapting the technique for use on Earth, the answer being a resounding ’I don’t fucking think so'. The only thing that the conversation achieved was a solution to the question of what to do with Loki. After leaving Loki sitting in the interrogation room, Tony presented his idea to the director. 

“Put him on the payroll? Seriously? Are you out of your mind?” 

“Yes, yes, and no. Have him sign on as a consultant. It’ll give you an excuse to monitor him and it’ll make the public a little less nervous when they find out Loki’s back, and you know they will find out. Plus, there is the benefit of having an inside line to the movers and shakers in society. Loki’s sure to have some insight there too.”

“ Fine, but if we do this we’re implanting a tracker on him, he’s going to be moving into the Tower with you, and you have to be the one to convince him to sign on.”

Steve’s been quiet the whole time, but at this point chimes in, “Well, who gets to tell Clint?”

Tony barks out a laugh. “Forget Clint, Coulson’s gonna taze someone when he finds out.”

~~~

The offer is made a few hours later and Loki doesn’t object to the new arrangements at all, surprising precisely no one. Before he leaves the SHIELD facility, the tracker is inserted at the base of his skull. He is given the remainder of the day to gather his things from his apartment before he reports to the tower where he is shown his rooms. Clint and Coulson are noticeably absent, and while Bruce is there, he makes absolutely no move to interact at all. Loki doesn’t seem put out at all, stowing his few belongings quietly before ushering Tony and Steve from his rooms and quietly closing the door behind them.

Both wander to the living room and settle on the couch. 

“Tony, are we doing the right thing?” 

“What else can we do? Asgard doesn’t want him back, and even if they did, I don’t know that I'm OK with returning him anyway. I know what it feels like to be kept and tortured and broken down so many times that you hardly remember your own name. He seems like he’s dealing the best he can but I know there is more going on than he is admitting to. Hell, do you have any clue how long it took before I could take a shower without tensing up? And I was only held for a few months. He had years, Cap. Years.”

As he spoke, Tony’s shoulders pulled tighter and tighter until it hurt the soldier just to look at. Sliding a hand up Tony’s back, Steve rubbed gently against the knots as he spoke. 

“Then we’ll do what we can for him. If nothing else, it’ll be interesting.”

~~~

For several weeks, things are quiet and tense. The Avengers keep waiting for Loki to do something and Loki keeps waiting for them to catch on to the fact that he really doesn’t have anything up his sleeve. 

It is a movie night that finally ends the detente. The Avengers minus Thor and plus Coulson are all gathered in the living room sprawled across couches and each other as they watch The Day After Tomorrow and shout out their own suggestions for surviving in the new environment. Just as the boys reach the tanker, Tony catches movement from the corner of his eye. Loki stands in the doorway, looking more unsure than Tony has ever seen him. He watches silently as Loki crosses the room and stops in front of the chair that Coulson and Clint are sharing, waiting for the men to acknowledge him. 

“Do you mind? I’m trying to watch,” Clint says, bobbing his head to see around Loki’s body. 

“I would like to apologise for my actions during the invasion I led. I made several rather monumental mistakes and I wanted to acknowledge that.” Turning to Phil, he continues, “Additionally, I am sorry for the injury done to you...”

That is as far as Loki gets in his speech before Clint pulls himself up from a seated position and swings a clenched fist into Loki’s face. The blow takes everyone by surprise and Loki cries out as he falls back, striking the coffee table before landing on the floor. For a few heartbeats, no one moves. Finally, Clint shakes his head before bending and offering a hand to help Loki off of the floor. “Apology accepted.” Phil says nothing, adding only a nod of acknowledgement before turning back to the movie. 

From that point on, Loki makes an effort to show up for group activities, showing up for sparing in the gym, coming to movie nights and watching with open fascination from his perch between Tony and Steve on the couch and even going so far as to cook one night when the whole team gathers together for a meal. The lasagna had just been put into the oven and Loki had stepped out of the room to change his sauce splattered shirt. It is at this point that Thor returns, slamming through the house and calling loudly for his ‘Shield brothers to attend’ Entering the kitchen, Thor pulls up short at the sight of his teammates gathered around the table. When he realizes who is seated at the far side of the table, he lets out a loud ‘Son of Coul’ and grins like the sun coming out from a cloud.

“They told us you had gone to Valhalla. While I am sorry you were not able to experience the halls of mead and feasting, I am heartily glad that you are well and whole.”

“Thank you Thor,” Phil returned dryly. 

Steve cleared his throat and asked “What was it you needed us to attend? It sounded kind of important.” 

“We must mount a rescue. My brother has been most heinously sentenced and we must find him.” 

“While the sentiment is appreciated brother, I assure you I am quite well.”

~~~


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still waiting patiently for the boys to decide what we're doing. Eh. Here's another bit.

No one is expecting what happens next. Thor spins and, upon seeing his brother, very promptly bursts into tears. 

Tony can hear the rain kick up against the windows and Steve shoots him a concerned look before pulling a handkerchief from his pocket. Loki looks halfway between embarrassed and angry, but Tony can’t for the life of him figure out why. 

“Brother when they told me of your punishment, I offered up everything I owned as wergild to get you back. I failed you and it is all my fault.” 

At least, that is what Tony assumes Thor meant as what he actually heard was in no way fit for human understanding and only every third word was even vaguely comprehensible. Loki looks aghast at Thor’s assertion, kneeling beside him. 

“Thor, why would you do such a thing? I deserved my punishment. It was foolish of me to ever think that I could rise above my station and the correction I received made that clear. Do not worry about me, brother, I am well.” 

Tony isn’t sure what to make of Thor’s face when he hears what his brother has to say, and for a moment, he contemplates leaving the kitchen with the others to allow them some privacy. Shrugging internally, he decides that they probably don’t even realize anyone else is there, hoping that maybe Loki will reveal a little more about the nature of his correction. 

It worries Tony that Loki keeps referring to his position and rising above and how he deserves what happened. It smacks of brainwashing and Tony can’t help but wonder what exactly the Chitauri aimed to do with Loki after he was broken to their satisfaction. It’s fairly apparent that the Asgard didn’t care what happened to him given their treatment, and Tony wonders how Loki came to be free and in New York without access to his magic or the Bifrost. Tony realizes that Thor has fallen silent and the room fills with the sound of rain and breathing as everyone waits to see what revelation will happen next. 

“No, brother, you aren’t, but you are strong. .It gladdens me to see that you are making a life for yourself here. What have you been doing to keep yourself occupied?”

“I am a consultant with SHIELD. They needed an advisor on magical phenomena and I was available. It isn’t terribly interesting, but it pays well and allows time for my own pursuits.”

Tony really should be less surprised that Loki doesn’t mention his other employment, given that he seems to be going out of his way to placate his brother. Thor seems like the type to take the news of his brother’s escorting as a bad thing. he watches them both, sure that something is going to break the silent tableau they’ve fallen into. The oven timer sounds, proving him right, and Loki hauls himself gracefully to his feet before grabbing potholders and sliding two perfect pans of lasagna from the stove. Without fuss, the pans are replaced by sheets of garlic bread and the timer is reset. The look on Thor's face is enough to have Tony and Loki grinning at each other.

"What are you doing?"

"Finishing dinner. It was my night to cook and I felt like making lasagna."

"But you don't cook."

"I do now. Eating out every night gets expensive when you support yourself. It made far more sense to just learn."

Tony is pretty sure that excuse is bullshit, given the way Loki treats those around him now. He thinks that it is far more likely that Loki doesn't think himself worth being served, as he almost always volunteers to serve when the team gathers for meals and even goes as far as offering to wash up too. 

To Tony, every action Loki takes seems designed to make his presence as unobjectionable as possible, making it far less likely that he'll be punished again. It isn't that he genuinely seems worried about the possibility as much as he is barely holding it together, his composure nothing more than a whisper thin layer of glass that is likely to shatter at the first blow and leave Loki raw and bleeding as he is forced to pick up the pieces. 

Tony knows that feeling. He lived with that separation. The outcome for him was a suit of armor and a new family that seems to genuinely care about what happens to him. For Loki, the same cannot be said. He served his time, was released, built a stable-ish life, and for his troubles ended up back in custody, interrogated, lojacked and forced into living with people that didn't like or trust him. Given that, Tony is frankly amazed that they haven’t had to handle any major fallout. 

While Tony watches, Loki offers a hand to his brother, pulling him back to his feet before handing him a stack of plates. Tony is handed napkins and silverware. Both men stand there with their hands full until Loki huff's out an irritated breath.

"Unless you two idiots plan to impersonate cabinets for the remainder of the evening, go set the table so we can eat before dinner gets cold."

Tony and Thor move around the table putting everything in place as Loki grumbles infer his breath and soaks around pulling out serving utensils and trivets for the lasagna. Once the table is ready, Loki calls everyone in and the chaos of trying to feed a super soldier, two assassins, a scientist with his face glued to a tablet, two gods, an egomaniacal inventor andthe most badass office drone ever begins. As Tony sits back in his chair, he can't help but enjoy the feeling of knowing that almost everyone he cares about is safe and sound and together.

~~~

After dinner is over, Tony volunteers for dish duty. Steve nods in his direction before clearing the others out, including a protesting Thor. Tony isn't totally sure why he's doing it, but he has a history of following his gut and most of those worked out pretty well. For a given value of most anyway. Tony takes over drying and putting dishes while Loki washes and rinses the last few plates.

"You know that if you ever need a sounding board, I'll listen right? I don't really do the feeling thing,” Tony offers, shrugging, “just so you know."

"I really don't know why you all insist on acting as though something is wrong with me. I'm physically whole, financially stable, and relatively in control of my life. I have more now than I've ever had before."

"You know, I'm not sure if that fact is admirable, sad or some combination of the two."

"It is what it is. I ended up where I am by my own actions."

"So what? The torture was a good thing?"

"No. The correction was a necessary thing. I was a fool to think that greed was a good basis for my goals. The Chitauri made it clear that I am fit only to serve. I wasn't strong enough to be a warrior. I lacked the prudence to rule a realm. My lies created only harm and my tricks only discontent. All the greed and bitterness and insecurity has been taken away and I find myself content with who I am now. I do what is needed to keep those around me content. It is what I am."

Hearing it stated so bluntly made Tony's chest feel tight. While he'd been close, Tony had gotten out and reclaimed himself. Loki had been broken. He hadn't know Loki well, but he was fairly sure that this quiet, timid man wasn't it. Tony hummed softly in acknowledgement, sliding the last few dishes into their spots before hanging the towel on a hook. Wishing Loki a good night, Tony walked from the room. 

He was startled to see Thor and Steve slouched against the wall outside the kitchen.

"how much did you hear?"

"Enough, man of iron. Someone will answer for this. Loki was condemned before he was even tried."

"Well, Asgardian justice set up a hell of a catch-22 for him."

"What is a catch-22?"

"It's when a person can't avoid a problem because of contradictory rules or expectations. Dammed if you do, dammed if you don't."

"Ah," Thor said grimly, "so in essence, Loki's entire life."

~~~


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that I tagged the story with a non-con warning, even though I'm fairly sure there was no reference at all, brainwashing aside. If I'm wrong, someone please tell me and I'll re-tag. As always, thanks and enjoy!

The men move to the living room, Thor making a beeline the the liquor cabinet. He pulls out two bottles of mead and pours a few fingers of scotch into a tumbler. None of them want to be drunk, but the alcohol gives them something to do with their hands. 

“Tony, what do you know about what my brother was doing to support himself before SHIELD found him?” 

Fuck. The one question he really doesn’t want to answer. “Well, he was working with prominent members of society.” Steve shoots a look over Thor’s shoulder, but Tony just shrugs lightly. Technically true, if not really honest. “I know you want to know, but maybe it’s something that Loki should tell you himself.” 

“Undoubtedly. I chose to ask you instead because I know you will answer where Loki will not. He will keep things from me to spare me the pain of knowing just how deeply I failed him.” Thor slumps forward, balancing his forearms against his knees and dangles his bottle from his fingertips. 

“I did not exaggerate earlier when I mentioned that he had been convicted before his trial. Loki did not have many friends in Asgard and his allies were quick to drop him when they perceived public favor was against him. My father allowed the popular opinion to sway his ruling and it is likely that the truth of Loki’s heritage was a part in the rapid shift against him.”

“What do you mean? He’s your brother isn’t he?” 

“By choice and in my heart? Yes, but not by blood. Understand, Loki has millennia of conditioning telling him that Jotun are the ultimate scourge. They were the creatures we warned our children against. For Loki to find out the truth of his heritage in the manner he did was more than simply upsetting. It devastated him and in that I am culpable. I knew the truth of his heritage and did not speak of it. I suppose I always assumed that Loki was aware and chose not to speak of it either.” 

Here Thor paused and seemed to gather his thoughts a she settled his bottle on the table. “Before my exile, Loki had been tricky and troublesome and unpopular with those who he embarrassed, but he was not malicious until he learned the truth of his heritage. There was a level of hatred in him that I had never seen before and I know that while most of it was aimed in my direction, not all of it was.”

“So it’s fairly likely that Loki went into his punishment as fertile ground for the ‘correction’. He was emotionally vulnerable and the Chitauri took advantage of that.” 

“That is my fear.”

“What are our options realistically speaking? He comes across as being content, but there are glimpses of his old attitude that peek through and make me think that maybe he can relearn his worth.”

“I do not know, Captain. I think that whatever course we take it should be something that we speak of with Loki. He has had enough of others making decisions without giving him all of his options. I feel we make a bad start if we continue in such a way.” With that, Thor clapped his hands against his thighs before standing and moving toward the bedrooms. “I assume my dwelling is as I left it?” 

“Yeah, same as ever, all we’ve done is dust and vacuum, and I think the sheets were changed a couple of weeks ago.”

“Hmm. Well, good rest, and I shall see you in the morning.”

Thor turned and left the living room. Tony and Steve sat silent lost in thought and sipping their respective drinks. 

Loki’s voice cut through the silence. 

“While I appreciate the fact that you want to restore me to my former condition, I would hope that you aren’t foolish enough to force me into anything.” Tony pivoted to watch Loki’s body language as he spoke from the kitchen door. 

Steve flushed, ducking his head before looking up and catching Loki’s eye. “That wasn’t our intent at all. We just want you to know that you are worth more than your value as a bed warmer or kitchen help. We won’t turn you out if you choose not to be sociable and we will definitely not return you to Asgard regardless of what you do.” 

“I appreciate your assurances, but even if I wanted to return to my former ways, much of my skill lay in my control of magic and those skills were stripped from me. I will never regain my former level of skill.” 

At this Tony jumped in “What do you mean stripped?” 

“The channels in my body that controlled my use of magic were burned shut. The only way to regain my magic is to forge new channels, and that would likely take several centuries. Here my ability to be pleasant and charming is enough to keep me housed and fed if necessary, and my knowledge of magic doesn’t require me to practice to remain useful to SHIELD.”

“Burned like physically burned, or is that a metaphor for a mental process?” 

“I assure you, it was most definitely a physical process. I can show you the marks if you like.” 

“We’ll leave that up to you.”

“Well at least one of you has seen me before and I really have very little modesty left. Honestly, in certain lights, the marks are almost attractive.”

Tony couldn’t remember any marks from the night spent with Luke, but there was the glamour he wore that altered his face. That may have been how he missed them. 

Steve looked uncomfortable but determined, setting his bottle on the coffee table and waiting for Loki to make his move. 

Without fanfare, Loki slipped the buttons free from their holes and shrugged the shirt off of his shoulders. There on his chest were the scars, faded a pinkish silver, Tony thought that Loki had a point. In a weird way, they were attractive, following the curves of his body and looking like nothing more than an extremely complicated body modification. 

“They are thickest along my shoulders, though they cover most of my body. I have no idea why, but my hands and face are completely untouched.” 

Tony had a sneaking suspicion that he knew why but was hesitant to voice it. 

“Loki, what do the markings look like when you turn Jotun?” Loki startled badly at the question before closing his eyes and concentrating. The blue appeared first at on his torso and spread quickly to cover the rest of his exposed skin. When Loki reopened his eyes, Steve let out a soft whistle.

“Please don’t be offended, but I’d really like to paint you.”

“Really, Steve? Now is totally not the time, though I can understand the sentiment. Loki, you realize that when you look like this there are no visible scars at all?”

“I have not assumed this form in many years, and to be honest, I wasn’t entirely sure I would be able to achieve it tonight.”

The glamour and the feeling of being drugged flashed across Tony's mind again, prompting him to speak. 

“Do me a favor. Try some small, non-destructive spell.” 

“It will fail.” 

“Just try.”

“Fine.” 

With that, Loki again closed his eyes and stretched his hand out. After a few moments, a small ball of pinkish flame danced above his palm. 

“Loki, open your eyes.”

At Steve’s soft command, Loki slowly opened his eyes, letting a pleased cry pass his lips as the flame continued to burn gently. Pulling his fingers into his palm, Loki extinguished the flame and launched himself forward catching Tony and a very startled Steve in his arms. The Avengers wrapped tentative arms around the blue god who squeezed them tightly before pulling back, a look of uncertainty on his face. 

Steve finally prompted him. “What, Loki? What are you thinking? What do you want?” 

“ I...” He trailed off, staring at his hands. “I’d like to spend the night with you.” At this he looked up catching Tony’s gaze and then turning to catch Steve’s. 

“Both of you.”

Tony was game, but he didn’t know about the Captain. From what he’d gathered of Steve’s habits during the war, Bucky had played a role, though there was Peggy. Tony suspected that Cap was likely as equal opportunity as Tony was, but had nothing to base it on other than his gut. 

“Are you sure that’s what you want Loki? I’d be honored, but you definitely shouldn’t feel obligated.”

“Pfft. You gave me back my magic and you didn’t recoil from me when I revealed my heritage. That is worth it if nothing else. If you need more reason, there is always the fact that you and Tony are both very pretty and I think we’d all be even prettier together.” 

Those little hints of Loki’s former snark were why Tony had hope that Loki could find an equilibrium between his true nature and his conditioning. 

“Well, if it’s what you want, I would be honored. Tony?” 

“Um, yeah. I’m in.”

Loki smirked as he bent to gather up his shirt. “Not yet, but you will be.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, this chapter is entirely porn. Absolutely no redeeming value as far as the story goes (aside from the whole porny goodness thing) until the very last line. Additionally, it's the first threesome scene I've ever written, so here's hoping all the legs end up where they should. Cheers!

The walk to Tony’s room feels like it takes ages, and simultaneously like it takes no time at all. When the door snicks shut behind them, Loki crosses to the bed before sitting and scooting up to the headboard. 

“Well? Are you going to undress so we can do this or should we warm up first?” 

Not getting an answer, Loki turns to Tony. “Steve seems tense, perhaps you should help him relax?”

“Sure, that I can do.”

Crossing the few feet of carpet, Tony slides his hands over the thin cotton of Steve’s t-shirt and tugs the taller man against him. Leaning in, Tony sweeps soft lips over chapped, gently sucking, working to entice Steve into opening his mouth. A gentle nip at his lower lip startles a gasp out of the soldier and Tony presses his advantage, sweeping in with his tongue to play with Steve’s. Behind them, Loki murmurs, “Yes, so very pretty together.” 

Steve pulls away at the sound of Loki’s voice and Tony is pleased to see that he looks flushed and dazed and so very beautiful. It is enough to know that he had put that look on his face, and even better to imagine what he’ll look like by the time they are done. 

Tony reaches up and wraps a hand around the back of Cap’s neck before tugging him into another kiss, this one demanding where the first had been inquiring. While they kiss, Tony can hear the sound of Loki’s feet as he pads toward them. 

“Oh, Steve; the things I want from you. I’d like nothing better than to take you apart until you’re so shaky and desperate that you’d let me do whatever I wanted if it meant you got to come. I imagine that desperation is a look you’d wear well. I already know that Tony does, and I’d so like to find out if my theories are true. Yes, but perhaps not tonight” 

Loki’s words seem to ignite something in Steve and his kisses grow harder and more sloppy as his hands bite in at Tony’s waist. Cool fingers slip between them as Loki works belts loose and unfastens buttons. The two men separate to shuck off their shirts, Steve whipping his over his head before shimmying out of his pants and underwear and Tony losing a few buttons in his haste to be free of his clothing. 

By the time Tony has worked the cuff button open, Steve and Loki are wrapped around each other, tan skin and golden hair contrasting nicely with Loki's otherworldly blue and black. For a moment Tony is frozen, overwhelmed at just how lovely these two men are. Shaking himself, Tony strides to where they stand and plasters himself against Loki’s cool back, where he is just tall enough to hook his chin over the Jotun’s shoulder and watch the slide of pink and blue lips with fascination. Loki pulls back from the kiss, turning his head and catching Tony’s lips. Tony moves around so one side is pressed against Steve while the other remains wrapped around Loki. The difference of their body temperatures adds yet another contrast the the contact, with Steve throwing off heat like a furnace and Loki like sliding onto clean cool sheets. 

Tony hums against his lips as they kiss, hitching his hips against the swell of Steve’s thigh. When breathing becomes an issue, Tony breaks the kiss, realizing as he does that Steve is running one hand along Loki’s flank while sucking a line of kisses along the exposed line of Tony’s throat. Tony fleetingly wondered if the serum improved Steve’s ability to multitask. The slide of cooler skin all along his front sends the thought skittering away as Loki crowds him back toward the bed. 

When the back of his thighs pressed against the mattress, he sits, before sliding himself up all the way. Loki crawls up after him, straddling him before lowering hips to press and rub, pulling a breathy moan from his throat. For a few moments, they just rub, lost in the sensation of slick skin on skin. Eventually, Tony feels the mattress dip and sway as Steve knee walks to reach them. Kneeling at their side, he passes Loki a tube of lube before settling on his knees. The position leaves his erection at Tony’s eye level and he can’t help but use one elbow to push himself up high enough to swipe at the head with his tongue even while he spreads his thighs wider at the press of Loki’s fingers. 

The move wrings a startled cry from Steve, and as Tony bobs down to take more into his mouth, Loki pushes two well lubed fingers in slowly. At the sensation, Tony writhes on the bed feeling stretched and open and so full he can barely stand it. Loki i speaking again, and Tony really had to work to make his brain process his words. 

“Tonight, I want to fuck Tony, and I want Steve to fuck me.” Tony is totally OK with that and moans his approval, making Steves “Yeah” stutter in the middle. Loki has been working his fingers while speaking and Tony feels the third slide in with very little resistance before they’re crooked just enough to press against his prostate and force a wail up his throat. 

The stimulation proves to be too much for Steve and he comes with a curse as Tony gags against the flood of come in his mouth before letting it spill out over his chin and throat. Loki smiles and leans up and over Tony’s chest to lick away the come that has slid down onto his collar bone before kissing Tony’s mouth again, swiping at his lips to gather the taste of Steve. The change of angle is enough for Tony to grit out, “If you want to fuck me before I come, You’d better get to it.” 

“Hmm, I seem to be doing this wrong if you’re still so lucid. Should we correct that?” Tony thinks the question is likely rhetorical and doesn’t offer any response. Kneeling back, Loki slides his fingers out, leaving Tony feeling empty before he presses back in, sliding his cock into Tony in one smooth glide. As Loki bottoms out, Tony finally releases the breath he had been holding. 

Beside them, Steve watches the two undulate against each other with an artist’s eye, wanting to run and grab his pastels to capture the image while simultaneously wanting nothing more than to slide deep into Loki’s body and feel the press of the cool, smooth flesh under his hands and lips. He can feel his erection return and offers up a fervent thank you to the scientists that had made it a reality. 

Seeing Loki’s closed eyes, Steve slides a careful hand over Loki’s back before moving behind him. Picking up the lube, he covers his fingers before gliding them down and pressing against the furrow of Loki’s body. His hole opens easily and Steve glides his finger in and out for a few moments before adding a second and then a third. While his fingers move, his lips follow the line of Loki’s spine, pressing soft kisses to each vertebrae. Before long Loki’s body is loose and ready. Steve wraps his hands around his hips and stills their movement before slowly sliding into the man beneath him. The tight squeeze of Loki’s body is enough to force an unwilling stutter from his hips and Steve struggles to hold himself steady for Loki’s sigh. 

After a few moments, Loki once more picks up his rhythm, driving forward into Tony and back onto Steve. The three move together easily, each move rippling through the other, building their arousal and pushing closer and closer to the brink. Loki feels the burn of orgasm gather in his gut, swelling up through his chest and tightening his balls before it snaps like a rubber band. 

His thrusts stutter and he freezes, pulling away from Tony’s lips and spasming through his orgasm with a groan that sounds like it broke something in him. Tony follows swiftly after, the feeling of being filled enough to set him off. Steve lasts for another thrust before the sensation of being squeezed by Loki’s body forces him to clamp his teeth into Loki’s shoulder as it hurls him over the brink as well. 

They collapse, Steve pulling Loki with him so that Tony isn’t crushed under their dead weight and Tony takes a moment to be grateful that Steve is as nice as he is. Steve reaches down and manages to tug the blankets over them as their drying sweat has left their skin more chilled than before.Loki winds up sandwiched between them and they lay together, stroking tired hands over sensitive skin and trading sloppy, sleepy kisses. For a while they are silent, and just as sleep drags Tony under, he hears Loki murmur, “So that's what it feels like to make love,” and just like that, sleep is a distant memory. 

~~~


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry folks, this update is a short one as RL is kicking me around. I'm thinking that there will probably be three more chapters and an epilogue, though I could be wrong. Heck, this whole piece was only supposed to be a couple thousand words of smutty angst. Bah, best laid plans and all that jazz.

Tony finally falls asleep just before dawn, dropping in and out with every shift and snuffle that his bedmates make. Each time he wakes, his hands slide immediately to Loki before wrapping up and over to feel for Steve. Eventually, his reaching hands meet only empty space, and Tony picks his head up off the pillow to see the spot where Steve had been is empty. Tony carefully slides from the bed and grabs a pair of boxers and a robe. Once he’s covered, he quietly steps into the hall before instructing JARVIS to let Loki know where they were the moment he wakes up. 

Padding down the hallway, Tony follows the smell of coffee to the kitchen where he finds Steve sweaty from his morning run and sipping a cup of coffee as he reads the paper. For a moment, the domesticity of the scene startles Tony and he tries to recall the last time he was up this early that didn’t involve still being up from the night before. For the life of him, he can’t remember. 

They sit quietly, each sipping from their respective mugs before Tony feels compelled to break the silence. 

“No regrets?”

“Not the way I would have prefered our first time to go had I planned it, but overall? No, not really.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“I just mean that I wish there had been a real us before there was an _us ___,” he says, gesturing vaguely.

“Hmm.”

Silence returns and Tony stands to pour a second cup of coffee. By the time he has half the cup finished, Loki has made it into the kitchen and sits, relaxed and sleepy eyed, waiting for the new pot to finish brewing. It is still early enough that they have the kitchen to themselves and Tony decides that this is probably as good a time as any. 

“Loki, the comment you made last night. Were we supposed to hear that?”

Tony is stunned and delighted to watch a blush race across Loki's face and creep down under the neck of his shirt. 

“I apologize. I thought you were already asleep. I’ll be sure to keep my thoughts to myself in the future.”

“No, Loki. That isn’t what he meant at all,” Steve assures him, “last night was amazing and I am so thankful that you wanted us to be a part of it, but there’s more to it than just falling into bed. What is it that you want?”

Loki opens his mouth to speak and Tony interrupts him. “Not what you think we want to hear. What you truly want out of this. Your own selfish desires.”

Loki sit quietly for several minutes. Tony can almost read the thoughts winging through Loki’s mind as he struggles to satisfy both Tony’s spoken request and his conditioning’s urging. Finally, Loki speaks.

“In the deepest part of me, where I keep all the things I know I’ll never really deserve, what I want the most is someone who belongs to me as much as I belong to them. Someone who will work with me to smooth my rough edges instead of simply trying to lop them off. Someone who can love me without conditions and limitations. Just someone who loves me for me as I am.” 

“You know, when all of this started, if someone told me that I’d go from being ordered to hire an escort to living with a former enemy to sleeping with said enemy as well as a team mate, I probably would have... well, I’d probably have at least thought about it. But here and now, after living it? I gotta be honest, I’d really like to keep doing it all. I can’t speak for Steve and I totally acknowledge that the logistics are going to suck, but yeah, if you want it, I can do that for you. I mean come on, who better to smooth your rough edges than someone as abrasive as me?”

As he finishes speaking, Tony stands and leans across the table to capture Loki’s lips in a soft kiss, trying to convey all the things he doesn’t want to say for fear of falling apart. _I want the same things, I’m afraid I’ll hurt you, please believe me, I could love you like that, I hope this works ___

As they separate, Tony catches the expression on Steve’s face and is relieved to see that he mainly looks fond. “I can’t be as eloquent as Tony, and I won’t even attempt it, but you’ve proven to me that you’ve changed and I’d like to see where things go. I don’t know that I won’t mess up and say the wrong thing, but I think we’d be doing ourselves a disservice if we don’t even try.”

This time, Loki is the one to lean over and catch Steve’s face with his hand before pulling him in for a soft, chaste kiss that does funny things to Tony’s chest. Even after they break the kiss, they stay close, foreheads pressed together and Tony just has to stand and circle behind them to wrap his arms around them both, tucking his lips against their temples as he closes his eyes and breathes them in. 

Thor watches them from the doorway and just smiles. 

~~~


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright. Two more chapters and the epilogue after this and we're done. To everyone who's still reading, thank you so much and to those who are new, thank you too! While I may not reply to every comment I receive, rest assured, I treasure them all. Now. Enough with the mush. Back to the action. Go!

Tony doesn’t look at the time they spend trying to figure out how his magic works as changing Loki so much as it is giving him back a part of himself that was unfairly taken away. For the next few months, Loki spends as much time blue as he does peach and eventually everyone is so used to it that no one even flinches any more, though there were a few reaction that made Tony grateful for JARVIS’ recording capabilities. 

Eventually, Loki is comfortable enough in his Jotun form that he will stay that way even while not practicing and Thor always seems pleased to see how much happier his brother is now that he has found his place and feels secure in Tony and Steve’s affections. 

The team settles into even more congenial relationships with one another. Clint makes peace with Loki, going on to terrorize the tower with pranks and booby traps until Phil puts his foot down, threatening to revoke Clint’s access to both the range and Phil’s room. Things are markedly quieter afterward. 

Bruce and Loki connect over finding someone who knows intimately about living in constant conflict with themselves and they spend long nights discussing the connections between science and magic until Steve drags them to their beds. 

Natasha isn’t effusive in her acceptance, but considering that she finally stops wearing her weapons openly around Loki, Tony is willing to chalk it firmly into the win category. 

~~~

When Loki has been with them for six months, an attack on midtown occurs. It isn’t anything they haven’t dealt with before, and after it becomes apparent that it isn’t magical in nature, Loki signs off of the comm system.. As the Widow and Hawkeye work to disable the surveillance that lets the villain anticipate the team’s moves, Captain America and Iron Man work together to keep the battle from moving outside of the area that SHIELD has evacuated and cordoned off. 

Hulk and Thor work in concert to disassemble the robots faster than they are able to repair themselves, but even with their strength, the fight has been dragging on and they are beginning to struggle. Captain America and Iron Man end up doing all they can to help, but for all their efforts, it seems like they may end up being overwhelmed as the villain’s coding stymies the assassin’s efforts to disable it. 

One by one, the Avengers lose their offensive positions and are forced to go on the defensive. Hulk is the first to fall after a concentrated attack on him does enough damage to knock him out. Once unconscious, he reverts to Bruce and the others scramble to get to him before the robots can finish him. 

Tony flies in and gathers him up, but as he lifts back into the air, a robot succeeds in snagging his boot, crushing the repulsor and throwing both men back to the street. Captain America and Thor both race to reach them although there is a sickening thought that they are just too far away. Even as they continue to run, Thor and the Captain lose sight of them through the screen of robot bodies closing around them. 

Just as they reach the mass, the ground shakes, and Cap is forced to throw out an arm to steady himself. As he watches, frost begins to creep along the seams of the metal and a shrieking groan can be hear, rippling outward and growing louder as the amount of metal being affected multiplies. Finally, the sound tapers off and Captain America is able to see that all of the enemy forces are shrouded in a layer of white, standing frozen and locked. 

Thor swings Mjolnir and shatters the robots closest to him, each swing reducing them to metal shards and piles of snow. Cap straightens and swings his shield, and between the two, they clear a path to the center where Loki crouches over Iron Man and and Bruce Banner, arms outstretched as if to ward off a blow. Or freeze an entire army of hostile mechanicals, Steve thinks a bit hysterically. Loki slowly raises his head, turning his beautiful blue face toward Steve before slumping over, completely unconscious. 

Steve throws his shield to the side before he drops to his knees, touching both of his lovers to find pulses and check breathing. On his other side, Clint and Natasha have joined them and are working to free Bruce from his position under Tony’s heavy suit. Thor lends a hand, gently lifting Tony before laying him where Steve can reach the points necessary to remove the armor.  
Once Tony is freed, Steve turns to Loki, carefully straightening his limbs and checking over and over for the thrum of Loki’s heart under his trembling fingers. Finally, Steve catches movement from Tony, as the genius begins to stir before hissing as he bends his leg. 

“What? Did you break it? Should we call the doctors over? Oh, god, I was so worried, you were OK and then you were down and then the ice and Loki and...”

At this point Steve is talking so quickly that Tony struggles to parse it and lays a hand over his lips. 

“Shh. I know. You’re OK though. Breathe. I’m alright, but I think that thing might have broken my ankle when it crushed my boot. What happened? What about Loki?”

“He’s here. He showed up after you went down. We were trying to reach you but we were too far away. Then the robots just... stopped. And froze. Thor and I smashed them to get to you and you were there and he was there and then he fainted.”

As they speak, SHIELD moves in, gathering the undamaged robots and photographing the scene. A medic approaches them and checks the still unconscious Loki, declaring his stable, before turning to Tony and working the crushed metal from his foot gently. The ankle is most likely not broken, but the bones are likely bruised and walking is going to hurt for a few weeks. He turns to his partner who has been working on Bruce and helps get the man loaded onto a gurney before they wheel him to a waiting ambulance. 

Thor approaches and gathers Loki into his arms.

“I will return him to the tower and get him settled. Often the combination of fear and extreme magic do this to him as he expends beyond the limits of his energy. Do not worry, I shall keep him well.”

Wit hthise words, Thor raises Mjolnir and carefully makes his way into the air and back to the tower. Steve offers Tony a hand and wraps a careful arm across Tony’s back. 

“C’mon. Lets get home and get your ankle up and iced.”

Tony snorts. “D’you think that Loki’d help with that once he wakes up?”

~~~

They reach the tower twenty minutes later, Coulson debriefing them while Clint drives. Natasha had accompanied Bruce to the hospital and Tony and Steve sit pressed against one another in the backseat as they answer the agent’s questions. 

Parking the car, they all head to the elevator, the two couples leaning against one another to offer support after the exhausting battle and the overwhelming emotions that went with it. 

As they file out into the hallway, they can hear the sound of struggling and rush forward, Clint and Coulson unholstering weapons and Steve unstrapping his shield. 

The sight takes a minute to register. The room is in shambles, the furniture tipped and torn, with one of the armchairs looking like it had been snapped in half by giant hands. The walls sport holes the size of human backs and there isn’t a single thing that hasn’t been knocked off of the surface it belongs on. And is that _blood ___on the edge of that window?

Thor is tied up on the floor, lying under a golden net, gagged and shouting muffled profanities through the cloth. Mjolnir lays abandoned less than ten feet from his trussed arms and the silver rescue blanket that had been wrapped around Loki lays beside it, torn and marked with the imprint of boots. 

Clint and Coulson leave to secure the rest of the apartment as Steve rushes to lift the net away from Thor’s bound form. Pulling something from his pocket, he flicks open a small knife and attempts to saw through the knots. The blade makes no mark on the rope and Thor nods to his waist were a small dagger is sheathed. Steve pulls it free and slices through the rope in one clean stroke before repeating the action on the rope around his ankles. As he works, Thor reaches up and tugs the gag free, face furious and the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance. Tony opens his mouth, the question coming out as an accusation instead of the inquiry he had intended.

“What the hell happened?”

“They took him.” 

“Who took him?”

“My father’s guards.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter down. Motives are revealed and the plot barrels to it's conclusion. Onward!

Media reports of Loki’s actions are surprisingly favorable and after the X-men, few even comment on the fact that he was blue. Steve watches half heartedly while he listens to Tony berate scientists over the phone while Thor alternates between coaxing Jane to work faster and calling for Heimdall to acknowledge him. 

It’s been nearly a full day since Loki had been taken and Steve knows that for every moment it takes to get them into Asgard, Loki is probably being hurt. He knows that Tony’s behavior is the only way he can cope with the knowledge and while Steve is equally frantic, he puts on his performer front and sits, seemingly patient, as the others work. 

A scientist calls for something and the lab explodes into motion, Jane sweeping in, checking gauges and yelling at everyone to clear the floor. Finally, a switch is flipped and the lights go out for a second before a bluish glow fills the space. At first Steve thinks that it is Tony’s arc reactor, but as the light brightens and spreads, he realizes that they have successfully punched a hole through to Asgard. 

The city shines brightly in the pre-dawn gloom, and Steve gathers up his go bag before throwing himself through the tear after Thor and Tony. Behind him a cry of “stop” has him whipping around and he sees Coulson come through with Clint right on his tail. For a second, the wormhole wobbles and shifts before collapsing with a quiet whoosh. Thor nods at the people gathered on the bridge before striding toward the gates and the city beyond.

~~~

When they reach the palace, the guards make no attempt to stop any of them and Thor walks quickly through the twisting halls before stopping at a set of doors.

“We will stay in my rooms, together while we are here. Should any of you be caught without me outside of these walls, you will die.” Clint seems unconvinced but Thors next words wipe the doubt from his eyes. “For my sake and yours, please do not tempt fate.” 

Thor does not ask for very much. He cajoles and suggests and he may even outright insist, but Tony can recall the number of times he has heard Thor actually say please and have most of his fingers left over.

“Why is it so important,” Clint asks, not being a smartass but seeking information. 

Surprisingly, it’s not Thor, but Coulson that answers. “None of us have been offered Idunn’s apples. Without them or the company of a god, the splendor of Asgard is too much for the mortal mind to comprehend.” 

Thor looks pleased that the stories of his realm are still shared on Earth, but Tony and Clint both look as though someone has slapped them in the back of the head. 

“What? World Mythology was an elective that fit my schedule.”

~~~

The men settle in, stowing gear and exploring the rooms. 

Thor’s suite is huge, having multiple bedrooms and a massive communal area meant to house his retainers. Since he spends the majority of his time on Earth, however, the rooms are empty and the space has a slightly neglected feel. 

Shortly after they gather in the communal area, a knock sounds at the door and Odin himself strides in with a warm smile on his face for his son and heir. Thor stands in the center of the room, the others concealed behind a screen that surrounds the fireplace. Clint starts to step out into the room , followed by the others, but a subtle gesture from Thor has them staying where they are. 

Tony is surprised that Thor does subtle at all, but realizes that how he acts around his father is likely to be different than how he is with his friends. For whatever reason, Odin makes no mention of Thor’s companions and Thor seems reluctant to bring it up. 

“Father, I am relieved to see you well, but you must know that I was accosted by members of your private guard and restrained while they took Loki from us.”

“Of course I know. Do you think they would have acted without my permission?”

“But why? Loki had done nothing and was no threat to anyone. He wasn’t even aware when he was taken.”

“Hmm, yes, and for that I am thankful. It made reacquiring him so much easier.”

Tony bristles at his dismissive tone and the way it makes Loki sound like a possession rather than a person, but before he can speak, a pair of strong arms wrap around him and he hears Steve’s voice quiet in his ear. 

“No. Let him talk. I want to know what their reasons were for this so we know how to argue.”

Tony relaxes, allowing his body to sag back against Steve, taking comfort from the solid warmth at his back.

Thor speaks. “Surely father, you know that Loki was well on Earth. I fail to see why you ordered him taken.”

“Thor, do you truly not see? You will be a strong king, but strength of arms is not enough. A king must be _clever ___and you lack the seed of dishonestly necessary to be a successful liar. If you can not lie convincingly then you will need someone to do it for you, someone you can trust completely.”

The look on Thor’s face when he realizes what his father means is heartbreaking. Odin seems not to care. 

“Do you see now why we had to ensure that your brother’s loyalty remained with you? Tony Stark was not supposed to be the one who found him and brought him back. That was for you to do. Had you been the one to offer him the love he craved he would have been your for all time.”

“I can not love him like they can, father. He is my _brother ___.”

Odin scoffs at his outburst. “In time, you will realize that compromises are necessary if you are to be a strong king. Once his correction is concluded, you will be the one he cleaves to, not those upstart mortals.” 

With this pronouncement, Odin turns to leave, his guards pulling the doors shut behind him. 

The others walk to Thor’s side and Steve lays a hand against the god’s shoulder, squeezing softly. Shortly, Thor speaks, his voice clogged with the tears he won't allow to fall. 

“I never though to understand just how much Loki loathes our family until this very minute.”

~~~

Eventually, everyone goes to their rooms, though Tony thinks that Thor will likely end up awake for most of the night. 

As Steve and Tony cling to each other under the furs, Steve can’t help but comment, 

“I know I said when we started this thing that I wish we had been an us, but this feels wrong. I don’t think we work as an us without him.”

Tony can only nod.

~~~


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aha! It's all written. I can't believe a little prompt turned into this monster. Thank you so much to everyone who read, commented and said really nice things to keep me motivated. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gotten done as quickly as it did if you hadn't been cheering me on. Enjoy!

When Steve wakes the following morning, the bed is empty and the sheets are cold. The room is filled with the grey light of very early morning and he prays that today is the day they finally find Loki so they can take him home. He dresses as quickly as he can, struggling against the unfamiliar catches before finally succeeding and leaving the bedroom in search of Tony. 

He finds him sitting in the common room, seated at the table with Thor, and drinking from an earthenware mug. Thor looks as though he hasn’t slept in weeks and Tony looks only slightly better. Steve knows he is running on the edge of his own endurance as well and is fairly sure that, were it not for the serum, he’d be an unconscious puddle on the floor. 

Clint and Coulson file in shortly after and they begin to plan for the day in earnest. 

~~~

When they are finally allowed to see Loki, it is in the middle of a great hall filled with the nobles of Asgard, all arrayed in spectacular clothing. Tony takes a moment to be grateful to Thor for ensuring that they were all outfitted with clothing that fit the location and their status as honored guests of the crown prince. 

Both he and Steve wore suits of leather and silver worked together to resemble the scale mail of Steve’s uniform though wrought in black and green rather than their more familiar colors. Tony assumes it is meant to signal their alliance with Loki though he isn’t sure of it. Clint and Coulson are likewise attired, though their suits are almost entirely black, with only narrow bands of amethyst to break up the unrelieved darkness. Thor wears his usual armor, his bright red cape a beacon among the darker shades of the rest of his companions.

Loki kneels in the center of the room looking incongruous in jeans and one of Steve’s hideous plaid shirts. The chains wrapped around his torso gleam, runes reflecting the light from a thousand tiny unbreakable links. Again, he is muzzled, though this time the straps are pulled so tight that they cut into his cheeks and Tony can see that blood has run down and dried in trails along his throat.

Thor gasps as he catches sight of his brother’s face and whispers “Surely not again.”

Coulson moans quietly, deep in his throat and Tony wonders what connection he just made. While they wait, Thor leans toward them and speaks, his voice a low rumble that slides under the ambient noise.

“Remember, the court will convene and inform the congregation of the charges leveled against Loki as well as the recommended punishment. After that is concluded, it will fall to the defenders to speak on his behalf. Our justice is not innocent until proven guilty, but rather guilty unless proven innocent.”

Clint and Coulson nod, while Steve and Tony grimace before adding their acknowledgment.   
The boom of a staff echoes through the room and silence follows in its wake. 

A man in heavily embroidered robes stands and addresses the assembly. 

“The people of Asgard are gathered together to witness the punishment of the nithing who is called Loki. He is accused of seeking to overthrow the rightful king, conspiring with the enemies of the kingdom, theft of precious relics, attempted kin slaying and violation of the agreement made when released from correction. The court sees little reason to offer leniency as it has been spurned before and given his natural condition, is likely to be spurned again. If there be any here who would speak for him, let them step onto the floor and do so. “

The room remains silent and still. Tony watches Loki’s face carefully and sees fear and resignation in equal measures. He recalls what Thor had said that morning about how no one had stepped up for him last time, as Thor was banned from the room for his role in defying his father’s wish to abandon the Avengers and take up his rightful place in Asgard. 

This time, Tony vows to keep Loki from feeling that abandonment again, coming forward and pressing up beside Loki’s kneeling form. Barely a second later, Steve strides up and places a gentle hand against Loki’s neck. Coulson approaches next, a step behind and to the side of Steve. Clint echoes the position behind Tony. Thor is the final person to approach, making sure to catch the eyes of each member of the council. 

“Who will speak to his defense first?”

Thor takes another step forward, following the order they had decided on that morning. Thor, then Clint, Steve, and Tony with Coulson offering rebuttal if needed. Thor was confident that between them they could present enough of a defense to keep Loki from being handed back to the Chitauri, though Tony had a back up plan half formed if necessary and Clint was more than willing to just grab Loki and run. 

“I find myself here in defense of my brother today--”

“To be clear, he is not actually your brother, but a foundling taken in and raised at Odin’s indulgence.”

“My _brother ___today because he is accused of violating the agreement he made after being tortured for years. In what way did he violate it? At no time was it ever made clear what was expected of him and he was given no papers that outlined what he was not to do.”

“He used sorcery after having his powers removed. He practiced Jotun trickery and deceit and should be punished.”

“But you said he had his powers removed. Why is he to be punished then? He did not use his Aesir sorcery, only his Jotun sorcery. Surely that was not explicitly forbidden?”

“He was not to use sorcery at all. That should not have needed clarification.”

“Unfortunately, I disagree with you. He is the god of mischief and lies, it is in his nature to take advantage of quibbles. Brokk knows that well enough.” Laughter erupts at that remark and Thor waits for the crowd to settle before turning serious once more 

“You seek to punish him for using something that is as much a part of him as his fingers or his eyes. Considering what he could have used his reclaimed powers for, defence of a mate is not the worst use and has never been a crime among the Asgardians.”

“But he is not Aesir.”

“Then you have no right to punish him.”

At Thor’s final assertion, the room lights up with susurration of sound as whispered conversations travel back and forth at the speed of light.

~~~

Clint steps up next.

“I am here to speak for Loki. I better than most know of the poor choices he has made. During the invasion that started all of this, he held me in thrall, forcing me to turn against friends and abandon my partner. If I can make peace with him then I don’t see what there is to be gained by inflicting more hurt. He has learned and for the past half year has been an important part of our team. More often than not, it is his quick thinking or his knowledge of the arcane that allows us to keep our realm safe from those who want to mess it up. Punishing him serves nothing but to create friction between allies. Midgard may not be the most powerful among your allies, but turning on one sets a bad president among the others.”

The council members nod as Clint stepped down, but don’t look very impressed.

~~~

Steve’s first words are a request for the muzzle to be removed from Loki’s mouth as the skin under its edges is growing raw from the constant friction that just breathing causes. When the muzzle is unlocked and pulled from his face, Steve lets out a sound like he's been gut punched. 

Under the metal gag, Loki’s lips had once more been sewn shut with dark thread, although this time, the stitches are closer together, creating the illusion that he had no lips at all. The skin from just under his nose to his chin is raw and red and Thor bellows for water and salve. Leaving Tony and Steve to tend his injured brother, Thor strides up the dais to the council members. 

“This farce will be suspended for the time needed to heal my brother of the harms inflicted.”

“No. The trial will continue until a decision is reached. If you like, we can skip the rest of Loki’s defense and just decide now. That is all we can do.”

“No. That is all you _will ___do.”

Tony listens to their conversation with half an ear as he hands Steve supplies. Loki whimpers as the cool cloth is applied and Steve slowly and gently wipes away the blood. After his skin is free of the dried blood, Tony applies a thin layer of salve to the chapped skin. 

Loki hums his thanks before leaning forward, allowing the men to press their foreheads together. Steve and Tony murmur a steady stream of love and affection to the bound man before slowly pulling back. Steve takes a deep breath and pushes back to his feet before once more approaching the floor. 

“I am a warrior. My first battle was fought in a war that consumed the world. We fought against an evil so terrifying and pervasive that it convinced good men to turn against their neighbors and led to senseless, wasteful wholesale slaughter. I know what it is to want revenge. This, here, today, is not about justice. This is plain and simple torture. This is the kind of behavior that good men cannot abide and this is the kind of behavior that strips you of your honor. Since Loki completed his sentence, he has injured no one. He has not killed, he has not stolen, and he has not broken any of the laws that govern where he chooses to live. To punish him for defending his family is to behave without honor. I believe that Loki has more than earned his redemption. He has paid in blood and tears. He has already given you enough. You will not take more from him, not so long as I still breathe. I gave my life once to defend the things I believe in, I am more than willing to do it again.” 

By the end of his speech, Steve’s color is high and his breath saws in and out of his chest. He steps away from his spot in the center of the floor without acknowledging the council members and returns to his place at Loki’s side.

~~~

Finally it is Tony’s turn. This time, one of the councilors speaks first, asking what reason Tony has to speak in Loki’s defense. Tony smirks before answering the question.

“I’m his lover and he is mine.”

“You would claim that monster and allow him to nest in your home?”

“I don’t know about that. Clints more the nesting type. Either way, I like having him around. He fits and they make me happy. As far as I’m concerned, everyone wins.”

The counselor is dismissive of his words, waving his hands and scoffing. Tony’s grin turns a lot more feral as he lashes out.

“No. You fuckers, I’ve listened to you justify your pathetically close minded lives all goddamn morning and now it’s my turn. You don't get to throw him away and then when he finally finds something that makes him happy punish him for protecting it. I won’t let you. I protect the ones I love and I love them. I’ll tear apart worlds to protect him, to protect either of them. You may not give me much credit since I’m just an ‘upstart mortal’, but I’m a human with a huge bankroll, a brilliant mind, a team of amazing people at my back and the love of two incredible men. If you think the merchant of death isn’t totally capable of making a comeback, I have one thing to say."

"Fucking try me.” 

And with that Tony spins on his heel and stalks away.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, you guys! That's it. The whole thing finished and posted. Go, read, enjoy, have some smut!

After Tony’s outburst, the justices gather at the top of the dais to deliberate. There is likely a spell at play because no matter how hard he tries, he can’t catch a single sound of what they are saying. Hours later, they signal the room back to order and the same elder than convened the session steps forward again. 

“After hearing the defense and deliberating, it is decided that Loki will be returned for further conditioning as the original sentence proved insufficient. The length of--”

“Actually, you won’t be taking him anywhere.” All heads turn to find the voice that dares interrupt one of the most respected members of the Asgardian nobility. Coulson stands holding a manila folder tucked under one crossed arm. 

“According to the treaty your proxy signed at the conclusion of the Destroyer incident, you are prevented from seizing any citizen of Earth for any reason.” 

“Loki is not a citizen of your realm and thus you have no claim to him.”

“Oh, but he is. When he signed on as a SHIELD consultant, he was implanted with a tracker that houses proprietary Stark tech. We can’t allow that technology to fall into the wrong hands so part of his agreement includes a provision that strips him of any other citizenship and bestows full recognition as a citizen of Earth with all the rights and responsibilities that that entails.”

At this point, the smirk on his face is the anyone else equivalent of an all out full blown shit eating grin and everyone in the room can sense it. 

“Unless you are prepared to court full out war with a world that has harnessed the power of suns, I suggest you release our citizen and have Heimdall open the road home.” 

With that, Coulson strides forward and hands the folder to the elder who caught it even as his mouth continued to work. 

As he retreats, Steve allows the guards to approach and unchain Loki’s limbs. He stands slowly and carefully, keeping his face still even as his eyes betray just how much the changed position hurts him. Carefully, Tony and Steve gather him up, sliding arms behind him before they walk from the room. 

Odin, who had remained silent for the entirety of the trial finally stands and speaks. 

“Thor, I will not allow you to do this. You have flouted my desires for long enough. It is time to put childish things aside and return to your proper place.”

Thor stills, responding without turning to face him. 

“No. I will no longer play a part in this descent into madness that you have been courting for the past few years. I would rather be an exile than allow you to do more harm. I will no longer be your puppet and you will no longer pull my strings. From here on, I abjure you. Goodbye, Odin.”

~~~

The Bifrost is open by the time they leave the palace and none of their party linger. Even Thor seems grateful to be gone, and even more grateful to see Jane when the dust settles. 

Coulson drags Clint with him to find Fury and let him know about the trial and its consequences in terms of global defense. 

Tony and Steve accompany Loki to the med tent where a nurse and a doctor wait to examine Loki. He is pronounced fit, overall, with the sewn mouth being the only injury they can find, but when the nurse takes a slender pair of scissors and attempts to gently snip the thread, the blades snag and pull, tearing open a few of the punctures and spilling blood down his chin. The nurse scrambles for gauze as she drops the scissors, mortified at the damage she had inflicted. 

Steve takes off, dragging Thor back to the shelter while explaining what had happened. Thor smiles gently at the flustered man before reassuring him. 

“The thread must be cut by someone who cares deeply for him. While I care as much as ever, I do not think that it should be me this time.” Clapping a hand to his shoulder, Thor squeezes gently before leaving once more. 

Tony passes Steve the scissors and gauze, before holding up fingers that tremor with adrenaline and exhaustion. 

“I like his face the way it is. I’d just as soon not.”

Steve sits, steadying Loki’s chin with one hand and sliding the blade in gently. 

“Tony, what you said during Loki’s defense, did you mean it?” Loki’s eyes dart between them, the question’s answer of obvious interest to him as well. 

It takes him a minute to recall what Steve is referring to and when he does, he tenses. Oh fuck. He said he loved them. In a room full of strangers. While he was angry. Crap. 

“Uh, yeah, I did, do. Do mean it.” 

Steve smiles, snipping a third stitch and gently teasing the thread free of Loki’s skin. 

“Hmm. You know I feel the same about you too, right? Both of you.”

Tony’s hoarse “yeah” and Loki’s hum blend, making Steve smile as he continues to snip and tease the stitches away.

~~~

Later, Tony, Loki, and Steve all lay in the tub back at Avengers tower. Loki’s lips are dotted with tiny scabs, but the salve they applied during the trial has repaired the chafing. Tired hands take turn rubbing over skin, balancing the need for contact against the need to feel free of the taint of the trial. Eventually, the water cools and they haul themselves out of the water, drying off half heartedly before collapsing into bed, Loki sandwiched between Tony and Steve, their arms and legs tangled together as they collapse into sleep.

~~~

In what feels like no time at all, Tony wakes to the feeling of being watched and slits his eyes open to see Steve propped on one elbow watching them sleep. 

“Hey creeper,” Tony rumbles out, “sleeping now. Stare in the morning.”

Gentle fingers card through his hair as sleep sucks him back under. 

~~~

The next time Tony wakes, it is to the sun on his face through the half pulled curtains. He rolls over to see Steve wrapped around Loki, one hand tangled in his hair and the other searching for Tony’s body. Steve’s fingers find Tony’s face and he presses a soft kiss to the pads, smiling at the huff of air the action elicits. Steve peels himself away from Loki and stretches, groaning at the feeling of his compressed body releasing tension and the rush of endorphins that hit him.

Leaning over, he captures Tony’s lips in a gentle kiss, both men feeling more in need of contact than they are worried about morning breath. Tony climbs from the bed and uses the bathroom, brushing before he crawls back under the covers. Steve is next and by the time he returns Loki is awake. They both smooth kisses over his cheeks, chin and forehead before letting him climb out of bed and make his way out of the room as well. Loki is quick, falling back onto the mattress and allowing Steve to manhandle him up the rest of the way. He chuckles at Steve’s mock growl, but keeps his lips straight to keep his wounds from tugging. 

Tony and Steve kneel on either side of Loki’s supine body. Leaning down, Tony presses kisses against Loki’s face while Steve sucks and nibbles his way down his chest and takes a nipple into his mouth. Loki whines at the stimulation, thrusting his chest out and tipping his chin back, exposing more of his throat to Tony’s mouth. 

The room is silent save for the sounds of pleasure shared. soft smacking sounds, whimpers and moans fill the air as Steve traces Loki’s scars with his tongue while Tony nibbles along the line of a hipbone toward Loki’s cock which is lying flushed and ready against his belly. Tony slides his tongue under the foreskin, gently thumbing the skin back and exposing the slick head to the air. 

Loki gasps at the sensation and hitches his hips when Tony closes his mouth around the crown and sucks, bringing up a burst of precome. Laving his tongue against the underside, Tony continues to play, alternating swipes of his tongue with suction until Loki’s cheeks clench rhythmically in an attempt to gain more friction. Reading Loki’s growing desperation, Tony drops his head down to swallow as much as he can, increasing the suction until Loki lets out a moan and freezes, pumping himself into Tony’s mouth, filling his senses with the taste of Loki. 

Steve reaches down and pulls Tony to him, kissing over Loki’s body, sharing the taste and rubbing his hardness against Tony’s stomach. Reaching down, Tony flattens his hand and lets Steve rut as they kiss, kisses growing harder and more desperate as Steve gets closer and closer. Finally, Tony wraps his fingers into a snug chanel around Steve’s erection and encourages him to fuck his fist, spending with a heartfelt groan. 

Tony takes the hand he had wrapped around Steve and fists himself, knowing it won’t take much to get himself off now that he knows that his guys are alright. his hips flex and thrust, winding the coil tighter and tighter until it snaps, catapulting him over the edge hard enough to grey out the edges of his vision. 

He slumps and finds himself supported as he slides back into the arms of the men he loves, smiling at the knowledge that he gets to have this every day because he _loves ___them, and they love him right back.

~~~

That isn’t to say that life is perfect. They argue and there are fights that result in separate rooms and threats of sleeping on couches. But for all the troubles of trying to balance the needs of three strong willed men, they never allow themselves to forget that they just work better as an us than they ever did as an I. 

And while it may not be happily ever after, it is _together ___ever after and that, quite frankly, is pretty fucking spectacular.


End file.
